PROBATIONFORINTIMIDATINGWITNESSTACKEDONTOSENTENCE

A Lawrence man convicted of threatening a witness in his attempted voluntary manslaughter case was put on two years' probation Friday morning.

Julius Miller Jr., 20, won't have to serve any extra time in the probation program, however. Friday's sentence will run concurrent with the three years of probation he's serving for the attempted voluntary manslaughter case.

Miller and some acquaintances drove to Topeka on Aug. 21 after a younger friend was involved in a dispute with another teen-ager. They returned with a shotgun, rifle and ammunition and were stopped by police, apparently on their way to the teen-ager's house. Miller was tried in December for attempted first-degree murder, but jurors returned the attempted voluntary manslaughter conviction instead.

In the December case, jurors deadlocked on two charges of aggravated intimidation of a witness. According to two girls who were in the car that went to Topeka, Miller threatened to kill them if they told anyone about his involvement in the dispute.

The charges were refiled, and Miller pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted aggravated intimidation of a witness on April 3; the other charge was dropped.

If he fails to follow probation requirements, Miller could face up to 40 months in prison.